Introduction

Abstract

The attempt of mankind to produce various kinds of sounds, for religious reasons, for entertainment, and for pleasure, dates back far beyond history’s record. First evidences of musical instruments have been found from the old stone age. These instruments are called ’primal property’ and they include rattles, drums, flutes, cornets, and musical bows. This primal property is the origin of all percussions, woodwinds, brasses, and stringed instruments (Michels, 1985). Further developments during thousands of years have led to the wide variety of expressive acoustical instruments that are in use today. At all times the constructors of the musical instruments have used the best available materials and the highest constructional skills known at their time. But the regional variations of the instruments played today have not only their origin in different economical or technical backgrounds but also in the cultural environment and the hearing practice of the different peoples.